Nairobi, 26^th of September 2025-  RES4Africa Foundation, Enel Foundation, and Strathmore University are proud to announce the successful conclusion of the first edition of the East Africa Executive School, marking a significant milestone in their joint mission to localize and expand a regional capacity-building programme across the continent. The initiative, held from September 22nd to 26th at the Strathmore University Energy Research Centre, was organized with the support of the Italian Government’s Mattei Plan for Africa.

The week-long training brought together senior professionals from East Africa’s electricity sector, carefully selected for their leadership roles and regional impact. Participants represented a wide range of institutions, including utilities, regulatory authorities, ministries, private companies, and academic organizations.

The curriculum covered key topics critical to the energy transition, including innovation and emerging renewable technologies; investment in energy infrastructure and grid flexibility; productive uses of energy and e-mobility; digitalization and cybersecurity in the energy transition; and carbon markets and data-driven energy access. The sessions were led by distinguished experts from CESI, IFC, Columbia University, GME, GSE, OffGridSun, and the World Resources Institute, combining academic perspectives with practical case studies and interactive formats.

A special highlight was the final event of wAtt-boost – Youth Powered Start-Up in Africa, an initiative spearheaded by Enel Foundation aimed at nurturing renewable energy-focused businesses within Africa's startup ecosystem.

The Executive School concluded with a certificate ceremony and a farewell lunch, celebrating the achievements of all participants and reinforcing the shared commitment to empowering Africa’s energy workforce through high-quality, localized training.

The programs enabled rich knowledge exchange and networking opportunities, helping participants build lasting professional relationships and reinforcing collaboration across the African energy sector. Beyond enhancing the managerial expertise, the courses also strengthened partnerships between Italy and African nations, aligning with the Italian Government’s Mattei Plan for Africa. This plan emphasizes the development of skills and competencies essential for driving the energy transition and fostering the creation of jobs across the continent.

“The East Africa Executive School is not just a training programme, it’s a reflection of our commitment to building a future where energy leadership is shaped by those who live the realities of the region,” said Roberto Vigotti, Secretary General of RES4Africa Foundation. “This week in Nairobi has shown us the depth of talent, ambition, and innovation that exists across East Africa. By creating spaces for exchange, learning, and collaboration, we’re helping to unlock solutions that are locally grounded and globally relevant. The energy transition in Africa will not be imported, it will be built by professionals like those we’ve trained here, who understand the challenges and are ready to lead the change.”

"Being here in Nairobi for the launch of the East Africa Executive School is deeply meaningful said Giulia Genuardi, Managing Director at Enel Foundation. “At Enel Foundation, we believe that purposeful education is key to driving a just and inclusive energy transition, and we are proud to be part of this journey, together with the future leaders of Africa’s energy sector."

"Greater impact calls for dependable collaboration — achieved by intertwining industry, government, and academia across all processes. This executive training exemplified that approach, bringing together top-tier leaders from regulatory authorities, utilities, ministries, private companies, and academic institutions to exchange knowledge and ideas at a regional level said, Prof. Izael Da Silva, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research and Innovation, Strathmore University. Further, a successful industry solution is one that can be easily replicated and leaves a lasting, positive footprint at a global scale. This training does exactly that he concluded.

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